Michele Soavi

Cinema has seen its share of Phantom of the Opera adaptations, and yet Dario Argento’s cacophonous telling entirely renews the veracity of a classic tale. Released in the U.S. as Terror at the Opera, this revision moves to beyond the rules of 1980s horror to a realm of pure, ecstatic terror.

From Italian master of the macabre Lamberto Bava (son of the great Mario Bava), and co-written and produced by Dario Argento, this film in true 1980s horror fashion turns on pop culture (here, the movies) attacking the audience. Soundtrack by Claudio Simonetti.